Deck 1 Flashcards by Humphrey Wrey

Law 1

“Never outshine the master

Make those above you feel superior. Do not show your talents too much, it’ll make them insecure.

Make the master appear more brilliant than they are”

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Law 2

“Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies

Friends will quickly betray you as they can easily be roused to envy.

Hire former enemies, they’ll be loyal as they have more to prove. “

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Law 3

“Conceal your intentions

Keep people off-balance. They cannot prepare if they don’t know. Guide them down the wrong path.”

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Law 4

“Always say less than necessary

When trying to impress, the more you say the more common you look and less in control.
Be vague.

Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.

Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.

The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
“

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Law 5

“So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life

Reputation is the cornerstone of power.

Reputation alone will make you win.

Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations.

Destroy enemies by attacking their reputation. Then stand aside and let the public hang them.
“

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Law 6

” Court attention at all cost

Everything is judged by appearance, what is unseen counts for nothing.

Never get lost in a crowd.

Be mysterious, appear more colorful than the masses.”

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Law 7

“Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit

Use the skills of others to do the work for you, never do yourself what others can do for you.

Your efficiency will appear god-like.”

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Law 8

“Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary

When you force others to act, you’re in control.

It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process.

Lure with gains, then attack.”

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Law 9

“Win through your actions, never through argument

You can only win a Pyrrhic victory through argument.

The resentment you will stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion.

It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.
“

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Law 10

“Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky

You’ll die from other’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases.

The unfortunate draw misfortune on themselves and will draw it on you.

Associate with the happy and fortunate.”

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Law 11

“Learn to keep people dependent on you

To maintain independence you must be needed and wanted.

The more you’re relied on, the more freedom you have.

Make people depend on you for happiness.

Never teach them enough so they can do without you.”

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Law 12

“Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim

One sincere move will cover over a dozen dishonest ones.

Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose.
“

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Law 13

“When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy

Do not remind people of past deeds.

Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.
“

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Law 14

“Pose as a friend, work as a spy

Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself.

In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying.
“

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Law 15

“Crush your enemy totally

More is lost through stopping halfway.

The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.
“

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Law 16

“Use absence to increase respect and honor

Too much circulation makes the price go down.

If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired.

You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.

”

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Law 17

“Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability

Being predictable gives control to others.

Behavior that isn’t consistent will wear people out, and they’ll stop trying to explain things.

When used to the extreme, you’ll intimidate and terrorize.
“

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Law 18

“Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous

Isolation cuts you off from valuable information.

Its better to mingle, find allies.

You are shielded from your enemy in a crowd.”

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Law 19

“Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person

Never assume everyone will react the same way.

Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then – never offend or deceive the wrong person.
“

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Law 20

“Do not commit to anyone

Fools rush to pick a side.

Do not commit to a cause but yourself

Maintain independence

Make people chase you and play people against one another”

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Law 21

“Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark

No one likes feeling stupider than the next person.

The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart – and not just smart, but smarter than you are.

Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives.
“

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Law 22

“Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power

When you’re weaker, never fight just for honor but surrender.

Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane.

Do not give them the satisfaction to win, surrender.

Turn the other cheek to infuriate them, use surrender as a tool of power. “

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Law 23

“Concentrate your forces

Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point.

Find a fat cow that’ll give you milk for a long time”

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Law 24

“Play the perfect courtier

He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the mot oblique and graceful manner.

Assert power gracefully to avoid jealousy. “

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Law 25

"Re-create yourself Create an identity that commands attention and never bores. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others or society define it for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life. "

Law 26

"Keep your hands clean You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds. Use others as scapegoats to disguise your involvement"

Law 27

"Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following People want to believe in something Become the focal point of this and offer them a cause, a new faith Keep your words vague but full of promise Emphasize enthusiasm over rationality Give your new disciples rituals to perform and ask them to make sacrifices"

Law 28

"Enter action with boldness If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires boldness, no one honors the timid"

Law 29

"Plan all the way to the end The ending is everything. Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others. Guide fortune by thinking far ahead "

Law 30

"Make your accomplishments seem effortless Your actions must seem natural and executed with ease. All the toil and practice that go into them, and also all the clever tricks, must be concealed. When you act, act effortlessly, as if you could do much more. Avoid the temptation of revealing how hard you work – it only raises questions. Teach no one your tricks or they will be used against you. "

Law 31

" Control the opinions: get others to play with the cards you deal The best deceptions seem to give the other person a choice. Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favor whichever one they choose. "

Law 32

"Play to people’s fantasies The truth is unpleasant, avoid it. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses."

Law 33

"Discover each man’s thumbscrew Everyone has a weakness, That weakness is usually an insecurity, an uncontrollable emotion or need; it can also be a small secret pleasure. Either way, once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage. "

Law 34

"Be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one The way you carry yourself determines how you’re treated Appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you Kings respect themselves and inspire the same in others By acting confident you make yourself destined to wear a crown"

Law 35

"Master the art of timing Never seem in a hurry, always seem patient Sniff out the spirit of the times, find the trends that’ll give you power Learn to stand back when not ready, and then strike fiercely when it has reached fruition."

Law 36

"Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them if the best revenge Acknowledging petty problems gives them existence When you acknowledge an enemy you make them stronger The more you a mistake visible, the worse it gets If you want something but can’t have it, disdain it The less interest you reveal, the more superior you seem"

Law 37

"Create compelling spectacles Striking imagery and symbolic gestures create the auro of power and people respond Stage spectacles for those around you and heighten your presence Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing. "

Law 38

"Think as you like but behave like others By flaunting your unconventional ways and ideas people will only think you want attention They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness. "

Law 39

"Stir up waters to catch fish Anger and emotion is counterproductive Stay calm and objective Make enemies emotional while you stay calm. Find the chink in their vanity through which you can rattle them and you hold the strings. Rattle your enemies. "

Law 40

"Despise the free lunch. What is offered for free is dangerous – it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation. Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power. "

Law 41

"Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes What happens first always appears better and more original than what’s next If you succeed a great man or have a famous parent, you will have to accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get lost in their shadow, or stuck in a past not of your own making: Gain power by shining in your own way "

Law 42

"Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter Trouble can be traced to a single individual These people will influence others Do not wait for the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them – they are irredeemable. Neutralize their influence by isolating or banishing them. Strike at the source of the trouble and the sheep will scatter. "

Law 43

"Work on the hearts and minds of others Coercion will work against you after a while. Seduce others into wanting to move in your direction Seduce others by operating on their individual psychologies and weaknesses Soften them by working their emotions and what they fear Ignore the hearts and minds and they will grow to hate you"

Law 44

"Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect When you mirror exactly what your enemies do, they cannot figure out your strategy The mirror effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact Hold a mirror to their psyches and you’ll seduce them and they’ll think they share your values Mirror their actions and they learn lessons"

Law 45

"Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once Everyone wants change but too much is traumatic If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things. If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past."

Law 46

"Never appear too perfect Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. "

Law 47

"Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory know when to stop In the heat of victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head. Set a goal, achieve it, then stop"

Law 48

" Assume formlessness By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Stay adaptable and on the move Accept that nothing is certain and no law fixed The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. "

"Never outshine the master Make those above you feel superior. Do not show your talents too much, it’ll make them insecure. Make the master appear more brilliant than they are"

Law 1

"Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies Friends will quickly betray you as they can easily be roused to envy. Hire former enemies, they’ll be loyal as they have more to prove. "

Law 2

"Conceal your intentions Keep people off-balance. They cannot prepare if they don’t know. Guide them down the wrong path."

Law 3

"Always say less than necessary When trying to impress, the more you say the more common you look and less in control. Be vague. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish. "

Law 4

"So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Reputation alone will make you win. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Destroy enemies by attacking their reputation. Then stand aside and let the public hang them. "

Law 5

" Court attention at all cost Everything is judged by appearance, what is unseen counts for nothing. Never get lost in a crowd. Be mysterious, appear more colorful than the masses."

Law 6

"Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit Use the skills of others to do the work for you, never do yourself what others can do for you. Your efficiency will appear god-like."

Law 7

"Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary When you force others to act, you’re in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure with gains, then attack."

Law 8

"Win through your actions, never through argument You can only win a Pyrrhic victory through argument. The resentment you will stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate. "

Law 9

"Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky You’ll die from other’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases. The unfortunate draw misfortune on themselves and will draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate."

Law 10

"Learn to keep people dependent on you To maintain independence you must be needed and wanted. The more you’re relied on, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for happiness. Never teach them enough so they can do without you."

Law 11

"Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim One sincere move will cover over a dozen dishonest ones. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose. "

Law 12

"When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy Do not remind people of past deeds. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself. "

Law 13

"Pose as a friend, work as a spy Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying. "

Law 14

"Crush your enemy totally More is lost through stopping halfway. The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit. "

Law 15

"Use absence to increase respect and honor Too much circulation makes the price go down. If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired. You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity. "

Law 16

"Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability Being predictable gives control to others. Behavior that isn’t consistent will wear people out, and they’ll stop trying to explain things. When used to the extreme, you’ll intimidate and terrorize. "

Law 17

"Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous Isolation cuts you off from valuable information. Its better to mingle, find allies. You are shielded from your enemy in a crowd."

Law 18

"Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person Never assume everyone will react the same way. Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then – never offend or deceive the wrong person. "

Law 19

"Do not commit to anyone Fools rush to pick a side. Do not commit to a cause but yourself Maintain independence Make people chase you and play people against one another"

Law 20

"Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark No one likes feeling stupider than the next person. The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart – and not just smart, but smarter than you are. Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives. "

Law 21

"Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power When you’re weaker, never fight just for honor but surrender. Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane. Do not give them the satisfaction to win, surrender. Turn the other cheek to infuriate them, use surrender as a tool of power. "

Law 22

"Concentrate your forces Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point. Find a fat cow that’ll give you milk for a long time"

Law 23

"Play the perfect courtier He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the mot oblique and graceful manner. Assert power gracefully to avoid jealousy. "

Law 24

Law 25

"Keep your hands clean You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds. Use others as scapegoats to disguise your involvement"

Law 26

Law 27

Law 28

Law 29

Law 30

Law 31

Law 32

Law 33

Law 34

Law 35

Law 36

Law 37

Law 38

Law 39

Law 40

Law 41

Law 42

Law 43

Law 44

Law 45

Law 46

Law 47

Law 48

Deck 1 Flashcards

(96 cards)